Monday, 3 June 2013

The "Mark" of the Beast - Privacy Concerns over Google Glass

"You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes."
(Deut 6:8)

Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.(Rev 13:16-17)

The implications of facial recognition technology being incorporated into Google Glass has sent alarm bells ringing recently over how this will impact privacy. A beta test of Google Glass has already been available to technology pundits since April, and it is set to be made available to the public by the end of 2013.

These devices are widely considered to the "next big thing" in the technology market. There have already been concerns raised over how these computerised glasses instantly uploads the wearers' video footage to the www and Google's online databases, effectively rendering them as ubiquitous surveillance devices.

An article from the Daily Mail highlights these concerns below:

...of all the promised features of these spectacular specs, it is the glasses’ ability to take pictures and shoot video footage and upload it instantly to the internet that is proving most disturbing.Some fear candid camera snooping will become all too easy when no one realises that the person simply looking in their direction is actually filming them.And it gets worse.According to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the company plans to have Google Glass fitted with an automatic picture-taking mode, snapping photos at pre-set intervals. This could be as often as every five seconds. While people may rightly worry about being photographed without their knowledge or permission, such fears pale into insignificance when you consider the true extent of the insidious reach of Google Glass.Time and again, Google has proved that it has no time for that quaint old concept called ‘privacy’. The company already knows where its users are — by keeping tabs on where computer and smartphone searches originate — and what they are looking for. The company analyses emails sent to and from Google email accounts, photographs people’s houses and back gardens as part of its Street View mapping project, and — as the company admitted in the U.S. last week — has looted passwords and medical and financial information by snooping on unprotected wi-fi accounts.With Google Glass, soon it will know precisely what Google users are seeing at any given moment.And never forget that Google Glass’s raison d’etre is to make money for a company which boasts the motto ‘Don’t Do Evil’ — while selling every last byte of private information it can to advertisers and retailers.You may wonder why such a firm would be interested in footage of you, say, doing something as mundane as your supermarket shopping.The answer is simple. Retailers are keen to find out such information as which shelves we look at first.A pair of Google Glass spectacles in film mode will tell them precisely that and, once the data from millions of users is aggregated, they will be able to position their products accordingly. You may already have been filmed unknowingly by someone with Google Glass — one of those lucky guinea pigs hand-picked to try out the developing technology.If not, rest assured you soon will be. A growing number of industry insiders say we should all be very worried.Scott Cleland, an internet analyst, told me ‘creepy’ Google Glass technology represented the ‘ultimate escalation of Google’s privacy invasion’.He says: ‘Say you’re huddled in Starbucks with your spouse and someone next to you is recording your conversation on Google Glass.Remember, the glasses have no storage capacity so all the information goes directly back to Google’s huge data centres.’Nick Pickles, of the UK privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, says Google Glass ‘makes CCTV cameras look trivial . . . the person next to you isn’t just a commuter any more, they’re a Google agent’.Mark Hurst, of Creative Good, a New York company that specialises in improving customer experiences, sees a dystopian future in which Google will play all too prominent a role. He predicts that ten years from now, if a company or organisation wants to know if you have ever said anything they consider offensive or threatening, a single search query on Google’s database ‘will instantly bring up documentation of every word you’ve ever spoken within earshot of a Google Glass device’.Perhaps we should follow the lead of a Seattle bar which has announced a pre-emptive ban on customers wearing Google Glass.The owner of 5 Point said his clientele were ‘not the sort of people who want to be secretly filmed and immediately put on the internet’.Google — with its talking, stalking goggles — increasingly feels as if it, too, has come out of a futuristic film.It’s the corporate version of Big Brother: a creepy, octopus-like global behemoth watching, assimilating and exploiting everything we do and see.
(Tom Leonard, "Google's Sinister Glasses will Turn the Whole World into the Search Giant's Spies", The Daily Mail, 18th March, 2013, read the full article here)

With the future addition of facial recognition technology however, this would take this invasion of privacy to a whole new level, allowing anyone wearing these glasses to instantly access the online information of anyone standing in front of them. With the introduction of facial recognition technology, a wearer of Google Glass would be able to immediately access information such as a person's Facebook account, just by looking at them, and have all their personal data floating around in their field of vision. Although Google have stalled their plans on incorporating facial recognition on Google Glass for now, it is widely believed that the future introduction of this technology is inevitable - especially if it is being offered by competitors.
It is easy to imagine how this technology could be exploited by a future dystopian government - being used not only to gather and disseminate personal information, but also to spy on anyone in the immediate vicinity of someone wearing these devices. As one commentator notes:

Privacy advocates are concerned that users wearing Google Glass could walk into a bar and immediately spot who is in the room based on running a facial recognition check, while some see that a harmless or even useful, others are worries of the implications that might have in a wider social context."I like the idea of openness, however, as long as there are Governments and leaders with power in the world there should be no way that we allow these kind of innovations," says commentor Martijn Potman on the news following the announcement. "Imagine (excuse me for this) Hitler in World War II with Google Glass v10 with heat/night etc vision and face recognition. The Jewish people would not have had a chance...
(Stuart Miles, "Google: Glass won't have facial recognition powers for now". Pocket-lint. Read the full article here)

Never mind Hitler, imagine this technology in the hands of the Antichrist...

In my book Unveiling the Apocalypse, published in July 2011 (well before Project Glass was first announced in April 2012), I had noted that renowned futurist Dr. Michio Kaku had predicted that computerised TV glasses would be the next major step forward in mobile technology. I used this to explain how the "mark" of the Beast could be worn on the forehead as a "frontlet band", in line with the way Jewish phylacteries are worn in accordance with Deut 6:8. If cell phones are the fulfilment of the prophecy of the mark of the Beast (as I also argue in an earlier post here), then it logically followed that the only way this technology could be worn on the forehead like the "frontlet bands" of Scripture, would be through the invention of computerised glasses. The inherent eavesdropping and government surveillance capabilities of this technology goes far beyond anything that can be gathered from any microchip implant. And the fact that these devices are worn for long periods directly upon the forehead would also put the user at greater risk from increased exposure to the potential cancer inducing effects of electromagnetic radiation. Although they won't replace or overtake cell phones in popularity, they have enough unique features to warrant using them in tandem with owning a mobile phone, and they are certain to become increasingly popular as the production costs are eventually lowered in the future.

57 comments:

For those who have safety concerns with their smart phones there are some radiation blocking devices available as well as headsets that can be used to minimise health risks.

Smartphones to an extent already pose the privacy risk as in the article, but this would be far worse in the sense it is better disguised. For example someone walking along with a smartphone videotaping someone walking in front of them would be noticeable not so with google glass.

I think one of the scary things not usually mentioned is that there is an ever growing culture of regular people, not just large corporations, of being "open" and not allowing anyone any privacy. Their need for the device/gadget/fix of the future and the constant stream of knowledge, etc at their fingertips will drive them to agree with just about anything, even if it is to the detriment of others.

"mark of the beast," according to Fr Gobbi is a spiritual thing, not a material one. It's about our minds and actions. Technology if not geared towards God, will eventually turn against mankind. It's up to us.

I'm aware of Fr. Gobbi's statement that the mark would have a spiritual dimension - a "mark on the intellect" etc. This is certainly true, but I don't think anyone can be spiritually marked through using this technology at the moment. I would argue that in order to be spiritually marked, you would have to be accept the mark of the Beast in full knowledge of what it is. And for that to happen, the Church would have to explicitly identify the what the exact fulfilment of the mark is, and outline the canonical penalties for accepting it (i.e. excommunication). It is only Peter who has the keys to heaven and hell.While Fr. Gobbi is quite right in stating that the mark has a spiritual dimension, Scripture is also quite clear that it is also something tangible - a mark which is fully visible, and that it would be impossible to buy or sell without it. And by using ressourcement theology to place the passage concerning this in its original 1st century AD Jewish-Christian context, we can establish that St. John thought of the mark of the Beast as a diabolical paradoy of the Jewish practice of wearing tefillin - fully visible box shaped objects containing pieces of Scripture, temporarily worn during prayer services. So this original 1st century AD conceptualisation of the mark of the Beast is something we need to keep in mind when attempting to recontextualise this prophecy in order to find meaning for it in the modern day.

I have gotten to about pg 100. It is a book I will return to again and again - in fact tonight I fast forwarded and went to the chapter on the 'Spark from Poland" and it is an inspiration to pray the divine mercy. Becoming more of a trad over time (I don't wear that as a badge of honour btw) I do think the second Vatican Council was/is a chastisement on the Church and will disagree on that portion and movements resulting from it such as the Charismatic, Neocatechumenal movements are ultimately harmful to the Catholic faith as they don't convey its essence. I also think there has been apostasy amongst recent popes - however trying to glean what God has been saying through them I think you are spot on that he will be merciful to peoples souls in these end-times particularly given the assault from dark forces is much greater than any previous point in human history. You have a real gift for summing things up and hitting the nail on the head - the paragraphs, pages and chapters flow beautifully something I rarely encounter in a book. Also yours and Emmett's work complement each other very well and are much needed.

"I think one of the scary things not usually mentioned is that there is an ever growing culture of regular people, not just large corporations, of being "open" and not allowing anyone any privacy."

Will good to see you here again - this is a great point and I think a result of many things but chiefly due to the abandonment of objective truth and the "bread and circuses" we are bombarded with. E Michael Jones has done some fascinating work in how sex and pornography is used as a weapon of political control - when people are blinded by lust it makes them undisciplined, docile, thick and indifferent. He relates the instance of when the Jews invaded Ramallah in 2002 Palestinians were locked in their apartments and their tv channels were bombarded with pornography, also they were left with porn outside their front doors.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/04/01/1017206174636.html

The following is an excellent and lively discussion he has on the matter:

Popes cannot be in apostasy if they are guided by the Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee of the truths of the Church. You will not find one papal error in faith and morals in all the popes we had in history, even the 'bad' popes. Jesus was right on in this one.

Popes cannot be in apostasy if they are guided by the Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee of the truths of the Church. You will not find one papal error in faith and morals in all the popes we had in history, even the 'bad' popes. Jesus was right on in this one.

Popes are guided with the Holy Spirit only on issues of Faith and morals.When the Pope (1) intends to teach (2) by virtue of his supreme authority (3) on a matter of faith and morals (4) to the whole Church, he is preserved by the Holy Spirit from error.http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/papac2.htm

Emmett, I still feel technology is just a symptom and can't necessarily be "the mark." Again, Fr Gobbi was so clear on the 1998 prediction. What does free masonry worship in today's modern world? Money and Atheism. The mark of the beast is our free will to sign away our soul, by denying God for Money. It's that simple. It is the modern world's worship of materialism. China is the perfect example. And the west has turned it's back on God too, all for the love of Money. And it is this materialism, that will get Israel into lot's of trouble. John Paul II, knew this, and Pope Francis is constantly reminding us of this third Antichrist (Free-masonry/Atheism & materialism), which in turn has marked mankind with it's lies.

If the notion that the mark is an RFID chip, then the blame lies on an object, instead of man. The number 666 is the number of man. It is the law's of man today, that are up against the law's of God. Satan's evil for centuries was to destroy Christ through a false prophet called Mohammad, then destroy the Church through the schism's, and now God through atheism. And today, Satan uses the god of Money to deny God's laws. Abortion, cloning, pornagraphy, war, genetic modification, etc., is big business.

Jamey,Would please explain what you mean by "apostasy amongst recent popes" in your comment to Stephen? Can you give some examples? Doesn't the Church insure that a Pope cannot teach error? He himself is certainly capable of sin and can do things that are wrong but he cannot teach error when speaking and teaching in his magisterial authority. Please clarify what you mean by that statement.Thanks,rose

There are a number of different indicators that the prophecy of the mark of the Beast is directly related to the widespread proliferation of mobile phone technology. First, is the fact that with the introduction of NFC technology, these devices are set to replace credit cards in the near future. Second, given that they are worn in the hand or forehead, they are the closest modern (and secular) analogy to wearing Jewish phylacteries - the original inspiration for the mark of the Beast. The Greek word for mark (charagma) equally means "cultic object" or "graven image" - meaning that the "mark" is actually an object worn in the hand or forehead. All future commerce using this technology will be conducted over the www - which using Hebrew gematria (the exact code used by St. John for the number of the Beast) has the numerical equivalent of 6-6-6. The "mark" is to be identified with the "graven image" which the False Prophet causes the inhabitants of the earth to fashion for themselves - which has "life" breathed into it, giving it the ability of speech and the power to issue propaganda:

"And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain."(Rev 13:15)

Fr. Gobbi predicted that the date of 1998 would be the period of history in which the prophecy of the mark of the Beast would be fulfilled. Cell phone technology first merged with the www in 1999. The Book of Revelation tells us that the sealing of the saints takes place at the opening of the sixth seal, in order to counteract the mark of the Beast. The opening of the sixth seal is marked on earth by a total solar eclipse, a total lunar eclipse, an earthquake, and a meteor shower. In addition to this, Christ states that the sign of the Son of Man would be seen at this time. All of these events, which mark the fulfillment of the prophecy of the mark of the Beast at the opening of the sixth seal, occurred at the turn of the millennium. In addition to this, the Book of Joel tells us that there would be "blood, fire, and columns of smoke" at this time - which was fulfilled in the events of 9/11.There is way more evidence besides this as well, which I can't list due to the lack of space... When you examine all this evidence in greater detail, you'll find that it simply cannot be put down to coincidence.

Emmett, the analogy of wearing jewish phylacteries may coincide with one of today's antichrist's mark of the beast too. It's called Materialism. The Jews forgot the spiritual meaning of phylacteries. Instead, they began to wear them like jewelry. It became a material object in order to make a fashion statement. The mark of the beast was not the Jewish phylacteries, but it was the Jews themselves who marked their souls by distorting the meaning of the phylacteries. And as for Fr Gobbi's 1998 date, it was meant to acknowledge the next 3rd historical period, which has reached the point of denying God. 1998 was at the peak of technology, which has reached the point of denying God, like cloning. "Who needs God," asks the atheists? When man can make their own human beings. The mark of the beast, is not just about an object of technology, it's about the free will decisions that man makes in order to use technology against the laws of God. Read Rev 1:17, the word slain means falling under the Lord as the result of feeling overwhelmed by a divine presence. Kings 8:10-11, Daniel 8:27, Daniel 10:8-11, Acts 9:3-4, Acts 26:14, also explain the true meaning of slain. If we do not use technology against the laws of God, and truly live as good Christians during these tough times, we too can have a personal encounter with the Holy Spirt. It's up to us to vote for the right politicians, to raise our children as good Christians, etc. But if we decide through our minds and actions to sin, we will carry the mark of the beast. And when the "Warning" arrives, those who carry the mark, will want to hide from the Lord's eyes. Again, the mark of the beast, is a spiritual meaning. And Fr Gobbi was right. Objects like computers, guns, etc., can only be evil, when a person uses them for evil.

One can't buy or sell without some form of materialistic exchange. Money can become an idol. Statues have constantly been built to worship the idol of Materialism. One good example is the statue of the Bull at Wallstreet. How many today, live only for the market? Reminds us of the golden calf, huh?

You're right. To a large extent, objects are indeed amoral, and it is how we use them that determines right and wrong. But there is also a side to technology that has a tendency towards evil and destruction - something which I think the Devil knew fine well when he tempted our first ancestors. The Serpent wanted the first couple to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil so that they could become "like gods". But this action would only spell out their certain death. The heightened level of knowledge gained from eating of this fruit led to the development of the earliest forms of technology, and the building of the first cities under Cain. It is here we first find reference to the mark as the "mark of Cain". But now we have reached a point where this very same technology is threatening to destroy us all. As Card. Ratzinger stated in his theological commentary to the Message of Fatima, it is we ourselves who have forged the flaming sword that protects the Tree of Life:

"Today the prospect that the world might be reduced to ashes by a sea of fire no longer seems pure fantasy: man himself, with his inventions, has forged the flaming sword."

You are also correct in highlighting the fact that the Golden Calf is a key component of understanding the meaning of the mark of the Beast - as is the construction of the golden idol in Dan 3. I'll be going into this in more detail in a future post...

The Dictionnaire de Theologie Catholique under the section of "papal infallibility" makes the following distinctions:

- there is the "infallible or ex cathedra papal definition in the sense defined by Vatican I" (col.1699);- there is the "infallible papal teaching which flows from the pope’s Ordinary Magisterium" (col.1705);- there is "non-infallible papal teaching" (col.1709).

This may also help:

http://www.sspx.org/sspx_faqs/q7_pope.htm

When I say apostasy from recent popes they have what seems a different balance of theology from most predecessors often with a lot more shades of grey and confusion - this coupled with some of their actions/non actions has led to confusion and in large degree the "great falling away" that has been witnessed.

Some examples of actions/non actions that have resulted in apostasy:

John XXIII underestimating the power of evil and fallen nature in the world (eg his comments on the prophets of doom before the Council) and letting more than "fresh air" into the Church.

Disobedience to Our Lady and Heaven in not releasing the 3rd Secret in 1960.

The path of dialogue and false ecumenism which has no place in either Church history from what I gather or the gospels.

Large portions of Paul VI's reign from the near abrogation of the Latin Mass (the forms of which express the Catholic faith), his consulting with Protestants during the council, to his disastrous handling of communion in the hand which has led to outrageous sacrilege to his dealing with communism and the Cardinal Mindszenty episode. I think out of all the happenings Paul VI's imposition of the Protestant styled Mass is the greatest debacle by far as earnest people often no longer have a fit place to worship.

JPII with his at times what seems like a universal salvation theology, the handling of Medjugorje, the Assisi prayer meetings which exacerbated an already religious indifferent world, kissing the Koran and flying around the world being overly involved in worldly politics and not cleaning house which Francis now must attend to, may God help him. Yes it is good to rid the world of political evils but the result is a weakened Catholic Church in the long run which means evil has prospered unlike any other point in history. Ultimately evil has sprung up again in different form in those places where communism was defeated such as JPII's beloved Poland. I think with JPII there was too much of a personality cult thing happening.

Ultimately the lack of necessary heavy handed action - pro abort politicians should be denied communion and the recent Pope's do confirm this but when not enforced by the local bishop and often Cardinal in that area nothing is done and something should be done, start standing the bishops down - I assume they (recent popes) are aware of what is happening. Heretical priests and bishops have often been left far too long in "good standing" with the church. Look at Rembert Weakland or Marcel Maciel.

I take no pleasure in saying these things and understand that it is easy to criticise but looking at the situation of the Church I honestly believe the modern papacies have been disoriented. We come back to then Cardinal Pacelli's Fatima warning of the suicide to the faith of altering the theology, liturgy and soul of the church well these have come to pass.

Regarding the impacts of mobile phone use I know a guy who worked with the Australian telephone service provider that conducted a large study into possible health side effects, this was around 10 years ago. After a period of time Telstra abruptly halted the project and made those working in it sign confidentiality clauses. I don't think it was favorable........................With the latest bouts of flooding in Europe I thought of Sr Aiello's prophecy:

“Once there was the chastisement by water, but if there is not a returning to God, there will come the chastisement by fire, which will cover the streets of the world with blood.”

I keep thinking of huge tidal waves but perhaps much of the chastisement by water will in fact be the result of massive rainfall and consequent flooding, and maybe even snowstorms. I don't doubt that there will also be tidal waves as we saw with the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, Japan and what Emmett foresees with Cumbre Vieja

Jamey,Haven't looked at this blog for a few days, but I am well aware of all those bullet points you mention about the problems with JP2, Paul6, and John23. It's been a struggle for me knowing the confusion that these Popes have promulgated. And, not only myself, but these matters are a constant discusion within the circle of the more traditional Catholics with whom I associate.

Interestingly enough, there are many Catholics who see no problem with how those actions have affected the Church and the state that she finds herself in now. Actually many don't even perceive it. Only 25% of people who call themselves Catholic attend weekly mass...at least half or greater of them support the leftist ideology of our current admininstration in the USA and have no problem with supporting the gay marriage agenda. I do agree again, as I have said before, with what Benedict 16 said. "The Crisis in the CHurch is the Crisis in the liturgy": “lex orandi, lex credendi” or--as we pray so we believe.

And, the STUNNING admission from Cardinal Kasper that Vatican 2 was intentionally writing in a vague way to allow many interpretations of the liturgy to proceed without any hindrance and the popes involved with promoting this vagueness has all contributed to the problem. But, we have to remember that despite all of those problems all of those popes are "Blessed" or in the process of being canonized. So what gives?

I think the word "apostasy" is a very strong word to use when commenting on these popes. I mean, Peter himself DENIED our Lord, and he still was the first pope. And let's not forget the rest of the apostles (except for John) who fled and went into hiding during our Lord's passion. I think this is where the sspx makes a huge mistake. The Popes are not perfect men. The things that they have done have certainly led to confusion..but then, there are other good results from some of the changes that they brought about. The inrease in the vocations to the priesthood can be attributed to JP2. The use of the venacular has actually helped Protestants believe and undertand the mass and many truly gifted souls who love the Lord have returned to the fullness of faith. And even Pope Francis has his issues, i.e., washing the feet of women!

Yes, there is confusion...I TOTALLY agree with that, and the Church is suffering. If someone such as yourself recognizes this and the faults of her Popes and still REMAINS FAITHFUL that indeed is what we need to do--and get our spiritual nourishmenet from good priests and good liturgy which it seems like you are doing. And learning as much as we can about the faith.

I know all don't agree with this,butI personally feel the Chruch is shlogging through her own passion and I'm hoping that a time will come when the confusion and vagueness will be clarified and the Church will once again grow strong. That's what I'm praying for--and Our Lady has asked us to pray and sacrifice so we all need to take that to heart.

Emmett, I agree with you on technology having a tendency towards evil and distraction when we are not prudent enough to rely on God's laws. Cain's first sin, was laziness. Abel was a hard working man. And that made Cain envious, and drove him to murder. The Bible doesn't tell us how God made those around Cain not kill him. But the meaning of the mark that Cain was not to be killed, was more important than, the nature of the mark itself. It was much more of a punishment for Cain to stay alive, than die. God may have inspired those around Cain, to have figure that out. After all, there weren't that many people in those days. You couldn't hide in the crowds, so to speak.

Now I am insisting that we seriously ponder upon the idea that the mark of the beast is not outwardly visible. But instead the mark is sin on our foreheads that represents the mind, and sin on the hand as the symbol of of our actions or work. Did you know that "on the hand" and "between the eyes" are consistent symbols of protection, power,and strength? "Their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands...Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths." Isaiah 59:6-7. Actually, ancient world culture from the Jewish to Muslim culture, as well as, parts of Europe and Asia consider the right hand to symbolically reflect our inner soul. The right hand for Muslims is considered the hand of honor and it represents the fundamental duties of the Islam religion. And for the Jews, the right hand, represents the interpretation of sensing and doing, which are the two abilities needed by man to survive and flourish.

"If any man shall adore the beast and his image, and receive his character in his forehead, or in his hand; He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,, which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of this wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels, and in the sight of the lamb." Rev 14: 9-10. The word character in greek can mean "trait or behavior by their actions or intellect." So, if we adore the image of Satan, which is the image of lying, killing, pride, vanity, etc., and we imitate it by behaving in those sinful ways, God will punish us. This is God's truth. This is God's mark of authority or seal that is found in His law. And Satan has tried for centuries to mock the Christ-like image of unselfish love.

But what is Satan's main objective? To be like God. We know God made us in His image, but more importantly, He created us. So, Satan must come close as he can to being a creator of life. It says this on Isaiah 14:13-18. This is the meaning of the mark of the beast. "The kingdom of the Antichrist is simply the elevation of man to the pinnacle of worship." Man can now create life without God through CLONING. "Cloning delivers super human ability to do the greatest amount of violence, genocide, and eugenic engineering that mankind ever imagined." Cloning will be the ultimate tool to accomplish his image of evil to be adored by man. People today seem to worship Modern Science and all it's technology, rather than the God of the Bible. Science has elevated man almost to the point of being creator. "The power of life and death is given to Satan, Rev 6:4. In Ephesians 2:2, Paul calls Satan the "prince of the power of the air." He controls up to now the earth and the air around the earth. Why wouldn't he bring breath to a clone? Rev 13: 14-15. Cloning would be man's last audacity before the 2nd Coming.

"The kingdom of Antichrist is greatly enhanced by the development of cloning. We should not be surprised that the development comes at just the same time as many other indicators are flashing a warning that Antichrist may be very close to staging his appearance." The mark of the beast includes man's number 666, which represents man's 3 sets of historical periods of every 600 years of apostasy. It begins with the false prophet Mohammad, to the Protestan Reformation, to today's theoretical and practical atheism. The mark of the beast is all about the New Age religion of man's self-worship. Today, unfortunately, even man can now create life without God. "The problem with humanity is not our genes, it's our hearts. The problem of evil in the world is not a DNA issue, it's a sin issue." The world will not flourish with this technology. It is God's mark of authority or seal, which means His power to sanctify through his 4th Commandment, "Keeping the Sabbath holy," that will help us through these difficult times. "Those who receive God's seal in their foreheads will be protected during the plagues." Psalms 91:7-11. In other words, receive the sacraments. Especially confession.

It makes perfect sense that the antichrist will deceive many by his charitable actions. If the antichrist were to be outwardly evil, everyone would fear him and not believe he is like a savior to our pitiful world. Just look at what the Obama administration is doing. Our president is saving our citizens with the new health care laws, but in actuality, he is deciding which citizen will live or die. We are in the last phase of daily normalcy before the antichrist appears. Get ready, call out to Jesus if you haven't already. Not much time left before all hell breaks loose.

"Only 25% of people who call themselves Catholic attend weekly mass...at least half or greater of them support the leftist ideology of our current admininstration in the USA and have no problem with supporting the gay marriage agenda."

After the sex abuse scandals I think the figure of Catholics attending Mass is now closer to 10% with some minor variances depending on country. That is a 750% drop off from pre VII although we know the pressure from an apostate society has also contributed to this. But consider that now there is probably a heap more sacrilege than before so the qualitative drop off is likely far greater than 750%. But people still have a need/desire for the transcendent and I believe if there was a heavenly liturgy easily accessible the Church would be many times stronger for it.

"And, the STUNNING admission from Cardinal Kasper that Vatican 2 was intentionally writing in a vague way to allow many interpretations of the liturgy to proceed without any hindrance and the popes involved with promoting this vagueness has all contributed to the problem."

This. Fr John O'Connor said after the Protestants originally revolted it was good when they chose to build their own church, "Get out" he said but then commented that people like Hans Kung at the Council thought "No, no we aren't leaving this time, we are here to stay". Michael Davies spoke about the time bombs which Kasper seems to confirm. Many protestants and Jews hailed the Council and commented that the Church had finally budged on its previously unflinching positions. The language used pre and post Vatican II are miles apart, granted some seems to be in response to the difficult issue of theodicy. E. Michael Jones has done some interesting research which reveals that Fr John Courtney Murray SJ who wrote the controversial document for Religious Liberty had links to the CIA. Henry Luce who had links with the CIA put Courtney Murray on the front of Time Magazine. Time and the CIA were the same thing. According to Jones the US government had wanted to weaken the power of the Catholic Church in the world and religious liberty seems to be how it was achieved. There was all sort of people trying to influence the Council from the outside world which you may find interesting in the below link.

Scroll down and go to parts 14-16 of Pope Benedict XVI's Light of the World for the relevant information which I haven't come across elsewhere:http://www.culturewars.com/Podcasts.html

In essence there seems to have been an infiltration with further attempted (not to mention the reputed 100 plus Masons). Then consider the allegations that Bugnini the creator of the Novus Ordo was a Mason something he said Paul VI suspected after exiling him to Iran. According to a text relating to Leo XIII's reputed vision he saw St Peters Basilica shaking that hard he questioned whether the Church was going to be saved at all. This earthquake hit in the 1960's.

"But, we have to remember that despite all of those problems all of those popes are "Blessed" or in the process of being canonized. So what gives?I think the word "apostasy" is a very strong word to use when commenting on these popes."

It is a strong word and it is easy to criticize in hindsight but I believe correct when considering the extent of apostasy and the actions recorded. In 1986 JPII had himself blessed by a witchdoctor with cow faeces smeared on his forehead from a priestess in Madras and also drank the kava potion concocted by a voodoo doctor in Fiji according to John Salza. Saying that at times I feel affection toward him and felt my first calling back to the Church upon his death but I think feelings have to be put aside when there was so much mayhem when looked at objectively. A book I have contains a picture of an elderly Fr Vincent Miceli (who was aware of the Church's problems to a fine degree) pleading with JPII over some issue and JP not at all liking what was being said and looking stubborn. Maybe it was the men who surrounded him that were also an issue - who knows.There does seem a mad rush for the post conciliar popes to all canonise one another but it still hasn't happened. Also John Paul I before becoming pope wanted nothing to do with the Vatican as he said the devil was there and also feared for his life if he become pope. There are inconsistencies in accounts of his death, apparently he was going to clean house that still hasn't been done.

Here is a link you may find useful, it seems once canonised a saint this is infallible otherwise the Church would be okaying us praying to demons.

Agree with you about the Church going through its own passion and that eventually there will be a great restoration - when I first saw Pope Francis my very first impression and before even thinking was anti-pope material but have come to see some real positives amongst some early concerns so likely just paranoia - most interesting if he reads the Third Secret will he reveal the entirety and will he do the consecration of Russia many including myself believe hasn't been done.

After the sex abuse scandals I think the figure of Catholics attending Mass is now closer to 10% with some minor variances depending on country.

This is just justification of own apostasy - everybody with a brain know that sex abuse happened 30-40-50 years ago and was covered mostly by those who areand were the most liberal priests and bishops under the sun. The other part is - 30-40-50 years ago pedophile abuses outside the church were dealt up as a minor issue, it was considered not a big crime and the one which can be deealt by counseling - so the so-called "cover-up"was totally in-line with the society at that time. Yet is is convenient for the society to forget it's own faults.

No doubt it was the societal norm to deal with abusers with counselling etc, nevertheless the media has smashed the Church the hardest in recent years and those of lukewarm/tepid faith have further apostated especially light shed on some of those key archdiocese in the US in 2002 where there was mass cover up for 30 odd years.

After the sex abuse scandals I think the figure of Catholics attending Mass is now closer to 10% with some minor variances depending on country.

anon 11 said: "This is just justification of own apostasy - everybody with a brain know that sex abuse happened 30-40-50 years ago and was covered mostly by those who areand were the most liberal priests and bishops under the sun."

Perhaps this is why St Thomas says most Catholics end up in Hell, in reality most are lukewarm and we know what happens to the lukewarm. How many stay for thanksgiving after Mass in preference for beating the carpark rush? Look at the situation with Henry VIII weren't Bishop Fisher and Thomas More in the English Catholic hierarchy the only ones to make a stance. Didn't Jesus say that cowards won't enter the kingdom of Heaven? God help us from our own cowardice and fear.

Now what constitutes Hell? Dante wrote of several layers where the first layer contained your good willed Pagans who were never baptised either by water or desire. There is no pain but no beatific vision and sounds like limbo. The worst realms are occupied by sodomites and bankers, look at the destruction on the family both those forces are releasing today.

Anon said: "Now I am insisting that we seriously ponder upon the idea that the mark of the beast is not outwardly visible."

What you say makes excellent sense however what Emmett posits regarding the mark of the beast connects with several strands of scripture and what is transpiring in the world situation in a manner that seems well beyond any coincidence. A certain verse of scripture can have several layers of meaning so both points can be strongly valid and not contradict one another. In this case one explanation seems more metaphysical whilst the other a physical manifestation.

Apostasy is a DENYING OF FAITH. When the examples that you used, JP 2 allowing a witch doctor to bless him, the forehead smear with cow feces, drinking the kava potion, etc. etc., is something that to me is more of a CULTURAL expression of someone who does not immediately condemn these practices because if, indeed, he outwrite condemned this on his first meeting with these people what good would that have done? He is coming as a man of peace. They accepted him and honored him in THEIR traditonal cultural way.

Looking back at the Jesuits and how they converted the Indians and the Chinese and other Asian peoples, they took on the culture of those people and eventually, in time, starting making converts. The pope just can't do that in ONE day or ONE meeting, but the Pope has to come as one who loves EVERYONE...not just Christians but pagans too as a representative of Christ. So he's gracious to them and allows these events that, to someone with a critical eye, may stand aghast. I do not agree that the Pope is denying the faith.

That's my take. I have to admit that the Assisi thing and the kissing of the Koran is hard to take...but, Benedict, the next pope, reeled in the Assisi gathering, and also starting dialoging with the Muslims. This all takes time.

But in NO WAY do I see or concur with your opinion ( and sadly the opinion of many sedevacanists) that all the popes starting with John 23 to the present pope are apostates.

What saddens me most is that the ultra right groups who do all this criticizing and name calling have lost a sense of unity in our faith, have seperated themselves as more catholic than the catholics and this can lead to disdain for the Church and her clergy. Calling the pope an apostate is beyond criticism. It makes one the judge of the pope and a pope unto himself. That's someone I don't want to be.

By the way, I attend the latin mass on Sunday, but it's a mass in union with our bishop, that is, the priests who celebrate it are in good standing with our bishop in this diocese. I have an sspx chapel five minutes away from me but I choose to carpool a 1/2 hour across town to attend a liturgy that is part of this Catholic Diocese.

The really sad thing is what should be my parish church --about a three minute walk from my house--is so liberal that I have to attend a daily novus ordo mass there and that is the white martyrdom I endure weekly! And this is the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church. I truly love the Church and I truly suffer from what I think is the truth in what Paul VI said. "The smoke of Satan has entered the Church". But, that doesn't make the popes apostates! It affirms that the Church recognizes the evil within and seems to be powerless to do anything about it and must also suffer through the passion on her Spouse.

But, it's my job to pray for the Church, especialy for priests and the Holy Father, and to remain FAITHFUL TO THE ONE,HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH even though, during these times that is a true and real challenge.rose (please forgive typos and spelling!rose

Again beautifully said Rose. And Jamey I do understand your concern but not to worry. We are here on earth to evangelize. How can we do this without interacting with different people? It's our mission to be kind and hospitable. It takes courage to be secure in your faith. Be not afraid. Bless you

First of all I am not saying those popes are complete apostates and that may not have been in reference to me what you said. But there have been things which have been in denial of the faith as we have always known it.

There are ways to undermine the faith in a subtle manner - silence, lack of condemnation, not establishing structures to protect orthodoxy, and ultimately tacit approval of heterodoxy and heresy (see the NO and the Good Friday prayer that Jews are to deepen in their covenant). See the debacle of Cardinal Kasper who said Jews and Protestants don't need to convert to the Catholic Church, being made the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity!

In regard to judging the pope, St Thomas makes the distinction that we can judge someones actions/words but not their ultimate intention or willfulness, that is I am not saying they are in Hell which Catholics are forbidden to say ie that they intentionally tried to destroy the faith and didn't repent. We are able to justly discriminate or personally judge actions and words based on the eternal Magisterium, and in the case of certain recent popes their actions have helped bury the faith; the NO and its continued acceptance is the prime example. We are spiritually poor as it is and then we have the Mass of the Angels replaced by one the great thinker Dietrich von Hildebrand said the devils couldn't do a better job of concocting. Concern is necessary for the spiritually poor as well materially poor.

JPII receiving those "blessings" in 1986 is something I would be confident no evangelical saint would have done - at least after their conversion. That stuff is rife with danger and one can become possessed or at the least diabolically disorientated.

I agree prayer is fundamental but also think it is necessary to speak the truth as to what has happened. It is very painful confronting this stuff and this is why I think part of the third secret not revealed alludes to something far worse than the annihilation of nations but to the Great Apostasy and the "work of the devil infiltrating the Church" and how high that goes.

We have the Fatima warnings and various "slips of the tongue" thanks to the Holy Ghost to help us navigate these times - Cardinal Ciappi said the Third Secret alluded to the apostasy starting at the top. Cardinal Oddi said it also had to do with the great apostasy in the Church. Then Cardinal Pacelli was concerned about Sr Lucia's warnings of the suicide to the faith if we change our theology and liturgy, this has come to pass and it is clear as snow and trying to argue that what has been ordinarily and generally promoted by recent popes is the same as pre 1960 and that of millenia is trying to say that green is red and deep down we know it.

But it seems we find ourselves in the end-times so it is no surprise these things have happened. As Fr John O'Connor said this is "the Great Confusion".

"All could see the triumph, within the Church, of new ideas, born of the Revolution and the Lodges, 250 cardinals and bishops rejoiced at their victory, 250 were horror stricken, 1,750 tried not to ask questions, but simply followed the Pope: "we shall see to it later".

The Council proceeds and the reforms multiply as quickly as possible. The persecution of traditional cardinals and bishops begins, and soon we witness the persecution of priests and religious everywhere who attempt to preserve Tradition. It is an open war against the Church's past and her institutions: "Aggiornamento, aggiornamento!" The result of this Council is much worse than that of the Revolution: the executions and the martyrdoms take place in silence; tens of thousands of priests and religious abandon their vows; others leave the religious life; cloisters dissapear; vandalism invades the churches; altars are destroyed; crosses dissapear; the seminaries and novitiates are emptied."

Jamey,I agree with what you are saying. The Church is in total disarray. I am VERY aware of all the problems--sadly the majority of Catholics are clueless to what's happened to the liturgy and the internal chaos in the Church.

But what saddens me is the divide in those who see the problems and make no attempt to rectify them WITHIN the Church. I currently volunteer tutor at a VERY SMALL private Catholic elementary school in our area NOT affiliated with the diocese although we have invited the auxilliary bishop to celebrate the mass as a gesture of good will-- and he has come. We do NOT want to appear adversarial to the other parochial schools under the juristiction of the diocese or towards our bishop. (There is a very long story here but I believe as the others in the school do that, no matter what, he is OUR bishop and we must be loyal and faithful to him.)The bishop really has no interest in the extraordinary form of the Liturgy..but we carry on!

But, The students LEARN the faith. They are taught Apologetics and the Catechism and this week are in a special kids camp to learn the Virtues. They are exposed to BOTH the latin mass and the novus ordo mass. The know the latin responses and kneel on the floor during the Eucharistic Prayer. Our graduation mass was an ad orientum novus ordo mass..really very nice.

Sadly, the parochial schools here are more interested in Earth Day than saints days. We celebrate St. Patricks day (gee thats fun--green beer and corned beef sandwiches with parades) but know nothing about the North American martyrs. They don't know their faith...they don't know about the real presence, etc., etc.

So, in conclusion.....I AM aware of the "smoke of Satan" but a few small number of us are trying to "clear the air" and push the smoke out and let the sunshine in. We are very sympathetic to the sspx..in fact one of our students was a parishioner in the sspx but moved out of the area. But we want to remain in obedience to the Church and to the Pope. This is the way I and a number of other people are doing it in trying to keeping the faith alive.

I think we're saying the same thing. In the end..this is the Church of Christ. I believe He knows what is going on. We are to remain FAITHFUL despite what we see. I put more faith in Him than myself or in any bishop or priest who feels they know better and how to correct the problem in disobedeince to the Pope....(and I know the whole story of Lefebvre and disputed ordinations --don't want to go there.)

It's one thing to call attention to these problems, it's another to seperate oneself and follow one's own will on how to rectify them. That's what Calvin and Luther and about 30,000 other protestant denominations have done.

OK Jamey..you can have the last word. No hard feelings. I'm done with this!rose

This has to be the most pleasant and well mannered debate I've seen online in a while! That makes a change! Usually it is very easy to take someone the wrong way when not engaging face-to-face... I think you are actually not that far removed from each other's positions.I have sympathies for Traditionalists as well, but I'm more in-between like Rose here. I think whatever the differences between the pre and post V2, there is an unbroken continuity in the Church, and fidelity to the Pope is the only answer to Christ's prayer for Christian unity. But at the same time, we do need to strive to re-establish a stronger connection with our spiritual heritage in the old liturgies. For me, the TLM is the highest form of worship.

Thanks Emmett,We sorta got off topic too...well, way off the topic of the Mark of the Beast and Google glasses!

But, in the end, I think we all ultimately want and pray for a Church who preaches that truth and is a faithful spouse of the Lord. And,as the Church Militant. we are constantly besieged by many adversities, trials, temptations and distractions - many of which you point out in your blog.

"But what saddens me is the divide in those who see the problems and make no attempt to rectify them WITHIN the Church."

The divide is largely the outcome of VII and its ambiguities as Cardinal Kasper admitted. But these forces were building up toward the Council. The liberal German bishops jeered the elderly Cardinal Ottaviani in the beginning session, Lefebvre said the Council was the third world war of the 20th century. Something a sedevacantist said really struck me - "you can see the difference between the pre VII writings/theology and the post - they stand out like a New York cab". This disturbed me greatly and eventually I came to believe he was correct.

But I agree with you that some trads seem happy just to criticise - in a speech one trad I listen to (and benefit from) imitated crowds that would chant "JPII we love you" mocking and laughing, this is going too far. I have also suspected outright calumny at times against recent popes by some. I also think this division and chaos is ultimately the result of a lack of prayer.

"It's one thing to call attention to these problems, it's another to seperate oneself and follow one's own will on how to rectify them. That's what Calvin and Luther and about 30,000 other protestant denominations have done."

Obviously I agree with the SSPX and think the difference in this case is that the "temporal" church has seperated itself from the eternal and become protestant at large - NO, charismaticism, loss of belief in the real presence, relative loss of adhesion to the Church's eternal teaching etc.

Rose - I am not about winning arguments here but just to explain my position after the opening of the can of worms. God bless for all the good work you do in teaching people the faith, and please remember me in your prayers.

Emmett, you had a post a while back regarding a prophecy that predicted there would be a council in the second part of the twentieth century and that chaos would ensue in the Church, the last I remember you were trying to confirm its validity - do you have any further information?

That prophecy was attributed to St. John Bosco. But it isn't found in his biographical memoirs - so that doesn't bode too well regarding its authenticity. At best it is apocryphal. But saying that, it does tie in almost exactly with everything else Don Bosco wrote about in his Dream of the Two Pillars and the March of the 200 Days, which also point to the significance of V2 and the great Marian victory at the turn of the millennium.

It's cited in the 1993 book "The Thunder of Justice" by Ted and Maureen Flynn (on the page with the first illustration). They state that it was made by St. John Bosco in 1862, but rather frustratingly, don't give the exact reference to their source.

Emmett,In the same vein as Jamey, I was wondering if you've researched Jeanne le Royer (Sister of Nativity) and her prophecies. The ones I'm particularly interested in are these:

“…I saw in Gods essence a numerous assembly of ministers of the church who like an army in battle and like a firm and unflinching column shall sustain the rights of the church and of her head and shall restore its ancient discipline.”

“…I see in God a great power lead by the Holy Ghost which will restore order through a second upheaval. I see in God a large assembly of pastors who will uphold the rights of the church and of her head. They will restore the former disciplines. I see in particular, two servants of the lord who will distinguish themselves in this glorious struggle and who by the grace of the Holy Ghost, will fill with ardent zeal the hearts of the illustrious assembly….”

In Dupont's book he interprets this as a third Vatican Council that will put things aright in the Church (which I personally think is needed not only because of the great confusion evident but of the admission of Cardial Kasper that Vatican 2 was purposely vaguely written to appease both the left and right and allow for various interpretations (--or misinterpretations?)).

Anyway...can you substantiate these or any of her prophecies?thanks,rose

Likewise, Emmett you seem to respect Fr Paul Kramer? Apparently B16 told good friend fellow German theologian a Fr Dollinger that the third secret involved an evil council. This could very well be the reason it was meant to be released in 1960 and the report of Pope John's face turning ashen white upon opening the envelope although I am well aware you have a different opinion on the words "this doesn't concern my pontificate". When Dollinger saw what was released in 2000 he angrily confronted then Cardinal Ratzinger who said "yes there is more to it". Kramer personally vouches for the credentials of Fr Dollinger and received this info from him direct. Neither B16 nor Dollinger have ever denied this publicly. There is not certitude here but the "Fatimists" do present a strong case although an objection would be it being difficult seeing the recent popes being corrupt and derailing such a message which they had clear access to whilst seeming devotees of Fatima to various extents.

Rose, you have probably heard of the approved Our Lady of Good Success, the prophecies are a few hundred years old and spoke about turmoil in the church and world at large in the latter half of the twentieth century but there will be a restoration as foretold in other genuine apparitions, not as specific as the one you site but compatible nonetheless to its message and our times.

While there is little current information on the status of her cause for sainthood, she apparently died with the odor of sanctity. Thanks for drawing my attention to her prophecies again. It's been years since I last read them, and I've found some pretty interesting stuff which corresponds almost exactly with some of the material I've been writing about recently.

Jamey,Yes I do respect Fr. Paul Kramer's research, but I would disagree with the conclusions the "Fatimists" draw as to the reason why some of Sr. Lucia's material is still being withheld. I don't think the Vatican hierarchy is lying, or that it is trying to cover up heaven's opinion on V2, but rather it is seeking to act in the best interests of the Church and to protect Sr. Lucia and devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. I think there is some elements of this material which may have been misconstrued as being mistaken concerning certain dates and events - which would explain the rather guarded nature of Card. Ratzinger's Theological Commentary. The "attachment" may therefore be considered by some to be just Sr. Lucia's private thoughts or interpretation. If the "attachment" contained a date concerning the turn of the millennium, this would explain a lot. We need only look to the dive in Fr. Gobbi's following when the millennium came and went without anyone noticing that anything of prophetic importance had occurred. I think the Church's actions should be considered to be "damage control".

Just a response to Jamey. Yes, I've heard and read much on Our Lady of Good Success. I think that's why, after not reading only those prophecies, but many, many more, (for about 35 years when no one else was reading them!) I'm confident that, in the end, the Church will suffer through all of these difficulties and emerge stronger and purified. And by the way, I keep going back and reading them again to try to understand more fully, what I can as time progresses.

That's also why, no matter what, I strive to remain faithful even though I see many things within the Church --and frankly the world-- that,like you, cause me much distress.rose

Indeed, She will rise from the ashes for one last hurrah and it will be glorious. We have the promises amongst other things of long range visions such as Good Success which have gotten specific detail correct several hundred years in advance, and of course scripture.

About Me

As part of research for my book Unveiling the Apocalypse: Prophecy in Catholic Tradition, I studied the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic languages before graduating in 2006 with First Class honours. My book is the product of around ten years of original research. This blog is intended as a means of supplementing the material presented in the book by providing relevant up-to-date information.